Het Spelderholt is a research centre that forms part of the division of Animal Husbandry of the Animal Sciences Group of Wageningen UR, Lelystad, the Netherlands.
The centre can trace its roots back to 1921. It has been located in Lelystad since 2004, and studies cover all aspects of poultry farming.
The centre has four new experimental barns, making it possible to conduct innovative research on laying hens, broiler chickens, broiler chick parent stock, ducks and turkeys. The barns are particularly suited for systems research and management research.
Two of the barns have outdoor runs, one is partially equipped with a covered run and one barn is without a run. All have multiple feed silos for nutrition research, and it is also possible to feed single raw ingredients. Supplements can be added to the drinking water at all buildings as well as per experimental unit. Grain is automatically fed at the laying hen barn, and buildings are equipped with automatic day length control.
Amongst areas studied are the optimization of feed conversion, the improvement of slaughter results, decreasing cost prices, egg quality and improving animal health.
The centre also looks at the automation of processes in and around the poultry house, poultry husbandry systems and their potential, increasing animal management, and responses to, and the development of, policy.
For more information on Het Spelderholt, go to: www.asg.wur.nl
